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Russell Dickerson on Music, Fatherhood, and Finding His Groove

Originally posted on Rodeo on SI | By Tresha Glowacki | Last updated Aug 24, 2025 3:43 PM ET

Russell Dickerson doesn’t just bring the party—he is the party. From sold-out arenas and viral dance tracks to sentimental dad moments and sommelier dreams, the country hitmaker is living proof that authenticity wins.

In this candid conversation, Dickerson opens up about his fourth studio album Famous Back Home, the wild success of “Happen To Me,” and the creative freedom that comes from finally doing things his way. Whether he’s crushing hibachi chef fantasies or laughing at his four-year-old calling him “brah,” one thing’s clear: Russell Dickerson is 100% RD—and he’s just getting started.

Enjoy the conversation:

SI: Russell, where do you get all that energy?
RD: Oh gosh, probably 12 cups of coffee, ADHD meds, and Jesus. (laughs) No, I’m kidding. Well… I’m not kidding, but you know what I mean.

SI: Let’s jump into your upcoming fourth studio album, Famous Back Home. The singles “Bones” and “Happen To Me” are already making waves on the charts.
RD: “Bones” was at country radio for I don’t know maybe 20 weeks before it peaked around No. 37. Then “Happen To Me” came out.

SI: How does this album differ from your previous ones, and how do you decide which singles to release first?
RD: “Happen To Me” was originally just an album track something fun to play live. But once we started teasing it online with those goofy little dances, it blew up. The numbers were insane. So, we said, okay, this is the single. No question.

SI: That ended up being your biggest streaming debut, right?
RD: Yep! My biggest streaming debut ever. Actually, it was my label’s biggest debut too, with over 172 million global streams.

SI: You co-wrote the majority of the tracks on Famous Back Home. Tell me a little about your writing process. You’ve been writing since high school or even earlier, right?
RD: Yeah, I probably started writing around 18 or 19. That’s when it really clicked, like, “Oh, this is fun.” Before that, I always thought of myself as just being in a band. But once I started writing my own songs, I realized, “Wait, this stuff is kind of country… and I’m really digging this solo artist thing.”
This is actually the first album where I didn’t write every single song. I didn’t write “Sitting on Top of the World” or “Never Leave This House.” But when I heard those tracks, I thought, “Oh my goodness… I don’t think I could write a better song than this.” They just hit me.

As for my process, I’m on the road a lot, so I’m constantly storing ideas on my phone, titles, phrases, little sparks of inspiration. Like with “16 Me” or “Love That I Love You,” I’ll have a concept and start kicking the ball in the right direction, you know?
I’ve been lucky to surround myself with incredible songwriters, people who really listen, who know me, and who help guide the vision. Sometimes I’ll throw out a wild idea and they’ll be like, “Yo, chill. Let’s bring it back to the Russell Dickerson sound.” It’s taken time, but I’ve built a team that helps me stay true to who I am while still pushing the creative envelope. It’s really been such a fun record to write and hear from the other songwriters that it was a joy for them too? That means everything. It’s truly an honor to have created something that people are proud to be part of.

SI: Early in your career, you were writing and performing with the audience in mind—trying to give them what you thought they wanted. But at some point, there was a shift. You started creating music that felt true to you, and that joy seems to translate. Can you talk about that turning point?
RD: Yeah, it’s definitely a journey maybe not lifelong, but a long one—for any artist. When you’re starting out, you’ve got these huge country influences that made you want to do this in the first place. But eventually, you have to take that leap of faith and figure out who you are.
My first record, “Yours”, “Blue Tacoma”, “Every Little Thing”, those were the first songs that really sounded like Russell Dickerson. Then with the second album, I think I played it a little safer. Maybe I didn’t push boundaries as much, but honestly, I feel like the songwriting was just as strong, if not stronger.
By the third album, I started getting more comfortable again, taking risks, trusting my instincts. And with this new record, I was like, yo, I do not care at all. I wanted it to be 100% RD. I wasn’t trying to please anybody but myself. If I didn’t want to listen to a song 100 times, it wasn’t making the cut. That’s how I chose these 12 tracks, purely based on what felt right to me.

SI: And you’ve co-produced all your albums, right?
RD: Yep, every one of them. I’ve always been hands-on.

SI: That makes sense. You’ve got such great energy, and it’s refreshing to see an artist who’s not afraid to be fully themselves. A lot of artists feel pressure to play it safe, but when you lean into who you are, it really connects.
RD: Yeah, even online and I feel like I’ve come full circle. I started out just being me, then success hit, and I thought, okay, I’ve got to sustain this. So, I played it safe for a while. But in the last six months, especially since “Happen To Me” came out, I’ve realized I don’t have to be ashamed of any part of me. I can be ridiculous. I can be a sentimental dad. I don’t have to be just the cool country star guy. I can be all of it.

SI: That variety shows in your music. You’re not giving us the same song twice. Speaking of being a dad, your wife Kailey appears in the “Happen To Me” video. How has touring changed now that you’ve got a family?
RD: Oh man, it’s been an ever-evolving journey. We started out with just the two of us, with a little bed kit in the back room. Then COVID hit, and we had our first son in September 2020. When we got back on the road, there were two buses, one just for us. Remy would sleep in the bottom bunk, and Kailey’s mom toured with us as our little RD nanny.
Then we had our second, and that changed everything. We tried keeping the kids on the road, but it got tough. I had to hire more crew, which meant the band moved onto our bus, and the kids couldn’t come anymore. So now, we leave them at home for short trips, two or three days with our nanny and grandparents helping out. Kailey comes with me, and she’s working on her book, so we actually get to hang out and have real conversations. It’s been a really special season.

SI: Do your boys have a favorite song of yours?
RD: My oldest loves “Big Wheels” from my last album and “What a Life” from the summer EP we put out last year.

SI: Love that. Now, you’ve had multiple No. 1 hits, double platinum records, and even your Opry debut. But what’s been one of the most surreal moments in your career?
RD: Great question. I’d say seeing “Yours” hit No. 1. That song had such a long journey. I pitched my EP to every label in Nashville with “Yours”, “Blue Tacoma”, “Every Little Thing”, and still couldn’t get a deal. That’s why we shot the “Yours” music video ourselves.
It hit No. 1 almost exactly four years to the day we wrote it January 2014 to January 2018. Seeing my name stay up there for two weeks was unreal. Getting texts from country artists I look up to like Jason Aldean saying, “Never forget your first No. 1, man”, that was surreal.
And then “Yours” being nominated for ACM Song of the Year? That was wild. First single, brand-new artist, brand new label and we got that nomination. Looking back, it’s like, wow. That was a moment.
SI: You have a catchy theme for your tour. How did the name Russell Mania come about?
RD: Honestly, it came from a radio interview. I called in, and the guy picked up the phone and said, “What’s up, Russell Mania?” I was like, oh my gosh, that’s incredible. I’m sure the idea had floated through my mind before, but I’d never thought to actually run with it.
Then we made T-shirts, and they sold out like crazy. That’s when I realized, okay, there’s something here. We’ve always called it the RD Party, so Russell Mania just fit right in. It’s a ridiculous tour name, but that’s the point, it’s fun, it’s wild, and it’s totally me.
Seeing fans show up dressed as wrestlers, rocking vintage wrestling tees—it I mean, these are the biggest shows we’ve ever played. The most sold-out crowds we’ve ever had. It’s just growing like crazy, and it’s so fun to watch. Seeing new fans show up, feeling that momentum build night after night… it’s wild. Honestly, it’s just a blast. That’s all I want to do, is create something that’s fun and a little over-the-top.

SI: If you could give your younger self one piece of advice before releasing “Yours”, what would it be?
RD: Write. Write. Write. Write more songs. Write the wrong way. Just write. I’d tell myself to spend less time on the road and more time creating. Not that I regret it, I love performing. I love playing with my buddies. Back then, it was just us, doing what we loved. But if I’d written more, pushed myself harder in that space, who knows what else might’ve come out of it. Still, it’s all part of the journey.
I mean, I was jumping in my SUV, driving to play for $250 at some random college cafeteria. It was wild, but we were having a freaking blast. Just me and my buddies, chasing the dream, playing wherever we could.
It’s not a regret, but if I could go back, I’d tell myself: write more. Write the wrong way, write the right way, just write. Because it’s the song that changes everything. Until I had Yours, nothing was really happening. That one song flipped the whole script.

SI: What’s something your fans might be surprised to learn about you?
RD: I try to carve out time for hobbies, and one of the big ones for me is wine. I mean, maybe it’s not that surprising as I do post about it sometimes, but I’m seriously nerdy about it. I’ve got the sommelier’s handbook and I’ve been studying for my Level 1 certification. I even have a wine closet with, like, 300 issues of Wine Spectator stacked in there. It’s a whole thing. I totally nerd out.
Who knows, maybe we’ll have a Russell Mania wine someday. I think it’s totally possible. You could have your upper-echelon RD, real classy stuff, and then Russell Mania, you know? The high-class version and the white trash version. And the white trash one, it comes in a box. (laughs)

SI: If you weren’t a musician, what do you think you’d be doing instead?
RD: Oh man, maybe a sommelier? I’m super nerdy about wine. But honestly, maybe a hibachi chef. I feel like I would crush it. If you got my table, it would be lit. Literally. The Choo Choo Fire Volcano, that thing would be blazing.

SI: You’ve got such a cool blend of country, pop, and rock in your sound. Who were some of the artists that inspired you growing up?
RD: First and foremost, Garth Brooks. He was my gateway into country music. Garth and Shania were everything. But then, Michael Jackson hit me like a lightning bolt. My parents got me the double-disc greatest hits, and I was obsessed. The grooves, the rhythm, the basslines. I’m a drummer at heart, so all of that just pulled me in.
I still remember going into our little Pizza Hut in town and asking my mom for a quarter to play “Black or White” on the jukebox. That rhythm and melody just stuck with me.
In high school, I was all over the place musically. Usher, Cash Money Millionaires, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Kid Rock, Limp Bizkit, Blink-182. I listened to a ton of rap and rock. Then in college, I dated a girl who was a total classic country wiz. She toured with Charlie Louvin, real throwback Opry stuff. That season of life made me fall in love with old country all over again. I was born in ’87 and raised on ’90s country, so I didn’t know much about what came before. But diving into George Jones, Johnny Cash, Faron Young—it gave me a whole new respect for the genre.

SI: Do you ever see yourself producing other artists—or have you already?
RD: Oh, I’d love to. I really love the musical side of things and getting deep into the songs, helping artists find their voice and communicate what they’re hearing. A lot of artists know what they want, but they don’t always know how to express it. That’s where I get excited.
I spent four years in college learning the technical side of music, how to speak that language, and I’m so glad I did. It gave me the tools to help others bring their vision to life. So yeah, I’d absolutely love to produce other artists. That’s definitely something I see in my future.

SI: What’s your go-to karaoke song when you’re off the clock?
RD: I used to have one, but it was R. Kelly, so yeah, I can’t sing that anymore. I think my new go-to would be the Friends theme song by The Rembrandts. You know, get everybody clapping, singing along, it’s a guaranteed good time.

SI: What’s a parenting moment that’s made you laugh out loud?
RD: Oh my gosh, every day. There’s something hilarious every single day. But the first one that comes to mind—our four-year-old hangs out with 30-year-olds all the time, especially on the road. So, the other day, I told him to do something, and he goes, “Brah.” I was like, who are you talking to?! I laughed so hard. Kids, man, they’re awesome.

Famous Back Home Track List

1. Dust (Dickerson, Josh Kerr, John Byron)
2. Sippin On Top of the World (Travis Wood, Casey Brown, Hunter Phelps)
3. Happen To Me (Dickerson, Chris LaCorte, Jessie Jo Dillon, Chase McGill, Robert Hazard)
4. Worth Your Wild (Russell Dickerson, Parker Welling, Casey Brown)
5. Heard It In A Country Song (Russell Dickerson, Chase McGill, Chris LaCorte, Parker Welling)
6. Sunrise in my Silverado (Russell Dickerson, Chase McGill, Hunter Phelps, Casey Brown)
7. For A Truck (Russell Dickerson, Blake Pendergrass, Casey Brown)
8. Love That I Love You (Russell Dickerson, Casey Brown, Ashley Gorley, Chris LaCorte)
9. Never Leave feat. Vince Gill (Josh Miller, Greylan James, Matt Roy)
10. Bones (Russell Dickerson, Parker Welling, Chris LaCorte, Chris McGill)
11. 16 Me (Russell Dickerson, Andy Albert, Chris LaCorte, Cole Taylor)
12. Famous Back Home (Russell Dickerson, Casey Brown, Parker Welling)